Australia’s capital cities have collectively lost 30% of their stored water over the last six years. But this loss is not evenly distributed across the country.
Dry conditions will make for a difficult summer in the Murray Darling Basin.
AAP/Dean Lewins
A researcher who’s worked for decades to improve the health of the Murray Darling Basin fears the coming months will be among the worst in history.
Waters from the Herbert River, which runs toward one of northern Australia’s richest agricultural districts, could be redirected under a Bradfield scheme.
Patrick White
The ‘New Bradfield’ scheme seeks to revive a nation-building ethos supposedly stifled by bureaucratic inertia. But there are good reasons the scheme never became a reality.
There are different types of drought and how they affect different sectors of society varies.
Shutterstock
Not all droughts are the same and South Africa needs to have a targeted approach to each type.
As bushfires continue to burn across NSW and Queensland, the Prime Minister and Opposition leader have said policy arguments should be avoided until the immediate crisis has passed, but many disagree.
Dan Peled/AAP
Minister David Littleproud on bushfires, drought, and the Nationals
The Conversation, CC BY49,3 Mo(download)
In this podcast, David Littleproud says "as elected officials, we've got a responsibility" to wait for the right time to talk about the link between climate change and the ongoing bushfires.
Ashurbanipal, last major ruler of the Assyrian Empire, couldn’t outrun the effects of climate change.
British Museum
What caused the rise and then collapse 2,600 years ago of this vast empire centered on Mesopotamia? Clues from a cave in northern Iraq point to abrupt climate change.
Left, farmer Ian Turnbull being who was convicted of murdering compliance officer Glen Turner. Right, Mr Turner’s partner Alison McKenzie outside court. Tensions over land clearing can have tragic consequences.
AAP/DAN HIMBRECHTS
Politicians and the media often stoke tensions between the city and the country. Nowhere is this more common than on the issue of land clearing – and the consequences can be tragic.
The impact of climate change on agriculture will affect food supplies.
Shutterstock
Geoff Crisp and Michelle Grattan discuss the government’s measures to help those hit by the drought, the ALP’s election post-mortem release and Labor’s recasting of its policies.
Millions of people in the Horn of Africa lack safe, reliable and affordable water throughout the year.
DAI KUROKAWA/EPA
Ben Henley, The University of Melbourne; Andrew King, The University of Melbourne; Anna Ukkola, Australian National University; Murray Peel, The University of Melbourne; Q J Wang, The University of Melbourne et Rory Nathan, The University of Melbourne
Drought has both natural and human causes, but deep cuts in our greenhouse gas emissions are urgently needed, regardless.
Some towns in northern NSW are likely to see empty dams next year.
AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
Once water is used in washing, cleaning or even sewerage it can be safely and reliably treated. The treated water is then safe to drink – identical to the original water.
Can prayers bring rain to drought-stricken parts of the country? Our prime mInister hopes so.
Sam Mooy/AAP
Yes, Australia naturally cycles through dry and wet periods. But that doesn’t mean we can simply build more dams and trust they’ll be filled.
The battle between Jones and Morrison came down to the repeated, and, for the seething Jones, existential question, ‘How does that feed a cow?’
Shutterstock
Alan Jones unleashed his well-known tactics of lecturing and insult as he accused Scott Morrison of failing the immediate needs of drought-stricken farmers.
The Coalition has been promoting its $7 billion drought relief package, but critics say what’s needed is a more effective national drought policy.
Dan Peled/AAP
Australia’s initial drought policy was plagued with problems and gutted in 2009. Since then, there has been no further attempt at developing a comprehensive national approach to the problem.
A small chocolate bar takes 21 litres of water to produce.
Byline: CAROLINE BLUMBERG/ EPA
It’s long been known that our diet choices help determine our carbon footprint. But do you know which of your favourite foods are the most water-hungry?